Chapter five (HSLoN)
"Petyr Baelish... who I tortured to death over the course of a week. When I learned what he did, I nearly snapped, but I held on and abducted him before torturing him." Harry said sadly. "People thought Jon Arryn did it!" Ned said angrily. "He didn't and I made sure that his innocence was discovered from the shadows. I abducted Baelish while Jon had plenty of witnesses to testify of his location and innocence." Harry replied, calming his uncle. "It worked out well in the end. Jon learned that the rumors of his supposed sons parentage were true." "Now. I need to reward you two for holding the largest of the Seven Kingdoms together." Ned and Benjen said that wasn't necessary. "Perhaps something that I looted from Valyria." Harry said, revealing a trunk full of Valyrian steel swords and causing his two uncles eyes to widen in shock. "Pick one." "Hadrian, that is too much." Ned said somewhat sternly. "You both had to neglect your own holdings. It's only right that you're compensated. I can easily afford this. My wealth is essentially limitless now. I now know how to forge Valyrian steel too." Harry said. He had known how to do that for years, but his uncles didn't need to know that. That helped Benjen pick a bastard sword and Ned a greatsword of average size. "In other news, I will be getting married soon. Due to the North's superior position, I will be marrying for love and to add more power to the bloodline. That is why I will marry Meria Sand, a bastard daughter of Oberyn Martell. Adding the capability to use Rhoynish magic to House Stark will benefit it greatly over the next few centuries." Harry said, and his uncles didn't object. "And, of course, I will be taking Yara Greyjoy as a wife to gain a claim on the Iron Islands. I will have to suffer some annoyance from the Faith and my political enemies, but its essential to end Ironborn culture." Ned and Benjen nodded, but each made a note to increase security of their holdings. It was after Benjen left that Harry finished. "Meria is actually a disguised Rhaenys Targaryen. I wish for our bloodline to have Dragonlord potential and possibly intermarry with Jon's descendants in the future and if he decides to become king. Having greater marriage options and spreading the potential around should end the Targaryen family madness." Surprisingly, Ned merely nodded. "If Jon declines, then I will place mine and Rhaenys children on the Iron Throne should they wish it." "I'm also considering telling Jon of his parentage at fifteen namedays old or even now. He's a highly skilled warrior, has been taught to rule, strategy, and many other subjects. I'm honestly running out of Sorcery to teach him, he can rule better than most lords and kings, out strategize them, and he could easily join the Kingsguard even now. With my marriage to Rhaenys happening soon, I need to begin planning further ahead." "How would Jon be placed on the Iron Throne? The Targaryen dynasty was deposed and they no longer have a solid claim." Ned said. "With Robert drinking himself to death, which he will die without issue, and Renly being homosexual and Stannis being unable to produce an heir, it's only a matter of time until House Baratheon legally dies out. Jon can use his Targaryen ancestry to get support to take the Iron Throne. He could have the backing of an army of 200,000, including dragons bound by sorcery, and a massive fleet." Ned's eyes widened at the mention of dragons. "Yes, I've hatched seven dragons and have enhanced them with my magic. I did that years ago in secret and they are already fighting size and should surpass even Balerion the Black Dread in size eventually." "You really have insured that House Stark is next to invincible, Hadrian. Your parents would both be very proud." Ned said with a smile, which Harry returned. "I'd prefer you wait until Jon reaches his fifteenth nameday, but Jon is considering becoming a sell-sword or buying and limiting himself to a minor holding. Now is probably the best time before he makes any life altering decisions." Ned said. Ned had come a long way from all but dooming Jon with the stain of bastardy with no hope of overcoming it. "Shall I call him inside my solar then?" Harry asked and Ned nodded yes. Word was sent and Jon arrived a few minutes later. "You sent for me, Lord Stark?" Jon asked. "Yes, Jon. Please have a seat." Harry replied and Jon obeyed. "I've heard that you are considering becoming a sell-sword or acquiring a minor holding. Your uncle and I were going to wait until you were older, a man grown, before telling you this but you have matured faster than expected and are a man in mind if not body. You are not a bastard and your mother went willingly to the marriage...." "Your birth name is Aegon Targaryen and your parents were Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Ned hid you as his bastard to protect you from Robert's wrath." Jon, or Aegon, was understandably shocked. "Do you have any questions?" "Why did you wait to tell me this?" Jon asked. "I wanted to wait until you were older and mature enough, and give you the skills to rule, be a knight, or start businesses. I wanted you to have all the skills needed for them and ruling, but still let you make your own life choices. It seemed to be the only way to prepare you for that possible future while still preserving your free will. You matured faster than expected and developed immense skill in all I could teach you." Jon looked more understanding of those reasons. "We decided to tell you now so that you can make an informed decision and hopefully have no regrets in the future." Harry added. "When could I take the throne?" Jon asked, still somewhat doubtful. "For that matter, I don't even look like a Targaryen." "It could take as much as a decade as things are at present. I can also use blood magic to draw out your Valyrian traits, which would only cost magical power that could easily replenish. Rhaenys doesn't look like a Targaryen either so it wouldn't be a huge shock to people." Jon nodded, looking confused by the mention of his presumed deceased half-sister. "Rhaenys is alive and in disguise. I'm marrying her, and I'm hoping that you would be willing to marry Margaery Tyrell, the Reach has a massive army and her mothers house has Targaryen ancestry." Jon nodded, but wasn't exactly thrilled with a political marriage. "I'll approach the Tyrell's when I get the chance, but first you need to be given Blackfyre, Dark Sister, and hatch some dragons. Dragons will help you conquer and hold territory more easily and allow you to defy the Faith of the Seven and generally be opposed less by your enemies." Jon picked three dragon eggs and Harry opened a portal to a pocket dimension that was large enough for dragons to live in. It had plenty of space for the dragons to live and thrive, and Harry was glad that Death had informed him of it. Harry's dragons landed near them, frightening Ned and Jon. "Meet Ragnarok," Harry said gesturing to the biggest dragon, a white dragon with gold horns and spinal plates. It had blood red eyes that contrasted wonderfully with its colors. "And Maegor," Harry gestured to a pitch black dragon with blood red eyes. "Hellfyre," Harry gestured to a blood red dragon with golden eyes. "Wildfyre," a wildfyre green dragon with black eyes. "The others I've struggled to think of names for," Harry said, gesturing to his three other dragons. "Please place the dragon eggs onto the ground and I'll have my dragons hatch them with their fire." Jon gently set down his dragon eggs and backed away. Harry commanded his dragons through the familiar bond to bath the eggs in fire, with their combined power rapidly speeding up the hatching process. "What now?" Jon asked. "Now? You bond with them and let that and them grow over the next few years. When they're fighting size you can begin training them for combat. I can also draw out your Targaryen traits and then place a glamour on you to conceal it from enemies... it would help prove your parentage and would only draw out whats already there but dormant." "I'll agree to it. It would be an easy way to remove doubts of my parentage." Jon said. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Four months later.... Four months gone and things had went well for the North. Jon underwent the ritual and gained his father Rhaegar's silvery-blond hair color, but it was concealed by a blood glamour. Jon Arryn was Imperioused into yielding the Three Sisters to the North, losing House Arryn more support from its bannermen, and the Three Sisters were quickly occupied. Hoster Tully had been trying to get Bran Stark as his heir and Harry finally agreed after wiping out House Frey and any bastards from it and demanding the Twins be given to Rickon when he was older... until then it would be held by men loyal only to House Stark. House Stark now had two lines of defense from southern invasion. Three if the Three Sisters were counted, and all Anti-Stark or Anti-North sentiment was quickly being eradicated, so it did count. Harry began turning House Stark's new holdings profitable and winning over the loyalty of the people... Rickon would inherit a strong holding and a secure political position. Eventually, even Bran would swear fealty to House Stark and complete Harry's peaceful conquest and Harry's work in the Riverlands would ensure most fell in line. House Bracken was weakened and subverted to House Blackwood and House Blackwood's weirwood was healed. Most houses would support House Stark because of the prosperity they would recieve by association... even Houses Mallister, Whent, and the Targaryen supporting houses were silently supporting House Stark. Between all of this, helping to plan a wedding, tourney, feast and then getting married Harry had forgotten to kill Tywin Lannister. That was a colossal mistake on Harry's part. The letter from Jon Arryn demanding Yara and Theon Greyjoy be turned over to Tywin Lannister rather rudely reminded him of his failure. They all failed to realize that Harry was already planning to wed Yara too. Lord Tywin Lannister was on his way to retrieve the Greyjoy's, and likely to revel in his presumed victory. "The wedding between Yara and I will occur within a few days. Theon will die in a hunting accident and Lord Tywin won't make it past the Moat.... This letter will be delayed until one day or more after the marriage is consummated. Furthermore, our allies will continually feast and offer their hospitality to Tywin Lannister to delay him." Harry said. "It's an order from the Hand of the King..." Ned said nervously, and Harry's other advisers and loyalists weren't at all impressed by Ned's words. "Who was influenced by House Lannister. If it helps you can merely say that he's too late to prevent the wedding. Tywin Lannister may fancy himself a lion, but he's a rabid dog that needs to be put down and humiliated. He's ordered rapes, murders, torture, and he won't stop until he's dead. Worst of all, if he dies now, then I'll be a suspect... unless another enemy of his publicly murders him." "You swore an oath!" Ned said in shock. "I did no such thing. Robert kept forgetting to have me do so." Harry replied, with a slight smirk that amused his other advisers and his uncle Benjen. Magic and blind trust were a very useful thing and Robert was blind where Stark's were concerned. "Oaths last in perpetuity!" Ned replied heatedly. "Then the entirety of Westeros is irrevocably damned and Oathbreakers by that logic, and that is something that only truly stupid rulers say. Why would people have to continually re-swear oaths if it would be redundant? Robert also swore me an oath and has broken it. Where is your condemnation for him?" That brought Ned up short. "I've sworn no oaths to a Baratheon, but a Baratheon has sworn an oath to me and broke it. That is an accurate summary of events. Either Robert changes his mind or gets labeled an Oathbreaker and will be destroyed when he seeks war." Ned nodded in acceptance, realizing that Harry was right. Ned realized why Harry was meant to be the Lord of Winterfell, he would do what was necessary for the good of House Stark. Harry was more of a Stark than Ned was! Harry was like the Winter Kings and Kings in the North of old! Ned never would have stood up to Robert like this or have guided the North to such levels of prosperity. "I will write to Robert and appeal to him to change his mind." Ned said. Harry nodded and after making sure that Ned wouldn't blab any secrets, dismissed them all and allowed them to return to their holdings. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two months later.... Harry had married and bedded Yara Greyjoy, who was surprisingly okay with her brother dying due to his weakness... and Harry may have made a tiny alteration to her thought processes. Still, it wasn't much, and Harry was actually spying on her to ensure that she wasn't a crazy mass-murderer who would become a threat to him. Both Rhaenys and Yara were pregnant now and Harry's plans were well on track. Yara would need to produce several more children, but once she did Harry would dispose of Balon and take control over the Iron Islands. Despite Tywin's plans having been defeated, he still demanded to see Harry to demand that he annul the marriage. Harry wasn't amused, but still agreed to meet him in hopes that the old man would make a mistake. "Announcing that old guy who drowned women and children and had a song written about it!" The guard said mockingly, even causing Tyrion Lannister to laugh with Harry, his wives, and retainers. "How dare you!" Tywin said angrily, glaring at the guard. "Oh shut up, old man. State your business or get the hell out." Harry said with a smirk. "You know why I'm here! You ignored an order from the Hand of the King and wedded Yara Greyjoy anyway! You will annul it immediately or be labeled a traitor!" Tywin said angrily. Harry's retainers began to get angry for Tywin daring to insult a Lord of a Great House in his own home. "Oh, that? Robert has changed his mind already and the marriage was consummated before I even got the stupid letter. It arrived far too late. I was balls deep and breeding her just the night before. Luckily, Robert realized that he was drunkenly committing oathbreaking and won't be doing it again in the future." Harry said, to Tywin's anger and Tyrion's poorly concealed amusement. "Your lackwit scheme failed. Even Balon Greyjoy disliked your plot... so if he rebels again have fun with that. You're on his list of people to annoy now and he's great at that. Now... leave and quite pretending your House and the Westerlands are still relevant. Your mines are running out of gold. You've made enemies everywhere and have over-estimate yourself, your position, and the Westerlands capabilities." "It's nearly nightfall--" Tyrion argued. "There are Inns and brothels. You'll both be fine. Your Lord Father generally prefers to sneak his whores in and then sneak them out after, but perhaps he'll give up the cowardly practice for a night." Harry said, to Tyrion's shock and Tywin's anger. "Oh? You didn't know that your father had urges like other men?" Harry asked teasingly before having them escorted out. "Send Tywin a whore with a pox and have her seduce him," Harry ordered once the Lannister's were out of earshot and caused some laughter around the Great Hall. "I'm serious. I think it would be a funny little prank." "It will be done, My Lord." It was a funny little prank, but Tywin wouldn't realize it until the next morning and surprisingly wouldn't make the connection that it was a prank even then. Tywin would believe it was terrible luck and become sexually repressed as he truly became what people thought of him while fearing that his pox would become common knowledge and ruin his reputation. To celebrate this small victory, Harry wiped out the Alchemists' Guild and sensed several Wildfire caches. To celebrate the discovery that would allow him to deal the Faith of the Seven a devastating blow when they condemned his marriages, and possibly even destroy the Dragonpit that was a weakness to the Targaryen dragons when they were confined, Harry decided to destroy the Night King and Heart of Winter. It was easy to destroy them both and doing so would cause the White Walkers to rapidly weaken. As for destroying the Great Sept, Harry would normally have had second thoughts, but the Faith of the Seven was too similar to the Catholic Church and had nothing keeping it in check. That religion caused too much death while trying to forcibly convert people and it was better to weaken the Faith of the Seven before they did that again. It was necessary to cause people to doubt the Seven and weaken the religion enough to reduce the odds of another crusade... plus Harry would strategically limit it to the religious figures to behead the religion. Not bad for a days work, Harry mused. "Indeed. The Children of the Forests magical experiment is coming to an end and I'm able to claim the souls of the White Walkers that were entrapped and used to enhance their powers and power the magic animating the Wights.." Death spoke into Harry's mind. "Happy to help," Harry replied in amusement. "I don't mind saving a world." "I know. It's why I haven't turned your life into torture for actively seeking to gain power. That and you never desired to command me like a servant. I'm not very fond of those arrogant delusional pricks who dare think themselves beyond Death..." Death said and Harry nodded. "You're only the first, thankfully. Bye Harry!" Harry's eye was twitching in annoyance, but he could concede that he had some small issues with his arrogance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry's prediction of the Faith's actions proved accurate and he was verbally condemned and then they demanded Harry set aside his second wife. Harry responded by framing the Faith for discovering Wildfire and then plotting to to use it as a tool of terror and forcibly convert people and punish sin with fire. Naturally, this Wildfire detonated once thousands of Septons and Septas, and the High Septon and Most Devout were all inside the Great Sept of Baelor. Harry inflicted colossal damage to the worthless religion and framed the Faith for murder/homocide via stupidity... and no one could prove that he did it. No one was accusing him because it was logically impossible for him to have done... unless he had magic, of course. Harry felt guilt, of course. He wasn't a monster. It was just unfortunately necessary though to cause people to question their faith and even distrust the Faith of the Seven. They placed too much power into the Faith's hands and Harry would rather they didn't back an illegitimate but Faith of the Seven backed rival. And Hoster Tully had written to suggest exactly that, but the letter was thankfully destroyed. Still, Harry decided to poison Hoster at his earliest convenience and leave him bedridden and rule the Riverlands through Bran until he was of age once Hoster was mentally unfit. His influence in the Riverlands would ensure that it went near uncontested and his skills at ruling and finance would placate the dissenters. Harry had the North firmly under his control. The Vale and Riverlands could easily become his. House Lannister and the Westerlands remained an obstacle, but could be dealt with. The Iron Islands would soon belong to House Stark and Dorne and House Targaryen had been bound by marriage and would back him. The Stormlands, Crownlands, and Royal Family could be dealt with... Harry just needed to tie the Reach to Jon and House Stark. Which had brought him to Highgarden and to Mace, Willas, and Olenna Tyrell with Jon joining him. "Welcome, Lord Stark!" Mace said jovially, causing Willas to roll his eyes and Olenna to look annoyed. "Thank you, Lord Tyrell," Harry replied politely, before politely greeting Willas and Lady Olenna. "You wished to discuss a betrothal between my heir and your young cousin Sansa?" Mace asked. "Indeed and I may have another betrothal for you to consider, but I believe that Willas and Sansa would make an excellent pairing." The mention of another betrothal caused Olenna's eyes to narrow, but only Harry and Jon noticed it. "We've seen the picture you sent of her, and Willas doesn't have a problem with wedding her when she's had her first blood, but this is mainly to speak of the dowry and terms." Mace said. "Naturally the Reach would aid us against our foes where needed or requested and we would, of course, do the same. As for a dowry... 400,000 Gold Dragons?" That offer was excessive, but a strong first offer. "She will be a maiden too, obviously." After glancing at his mother, Mace agreed. Inwardly, Olenna was curious about this other betrothal. "Now, about this other betrothal you mentioned..." Olenna said in interest. "Yes?" Harry asked playfully, annoying Olenna and amusing Willas. "Who else do wish to betroth to a Tyrell?" Olenna asked impatiently. "Aegon of the House Targaryen, seventh of his name, Rightful King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and future Protector of the Realm." Harry replied, shocking the Tyrell's and causing them to gape stupidly, even Olenna. "Take your time," Harry added with a smirk before having Jon remove the glamour. "Your uncle claimed him as a bastard and had him live in disguise." Olenna said in amusement, loving the fact that the honorable Eddard Stark had lied and deceived the entire Seven Kingdoms including his closest friend and worst enemies and had gotten away with it. "Indeed. My uncle was going to let poor Aegon waste away up north and join the Nights Watch when he was of age, but I discovered the truth and had a much better idea. I had him trained under the guise of giving him a holding and made sure he could fight at a high level and prepared him for rule. With Robert being years from dying, and having only Jaime and Cersei Lannister's bastards, a homosexual brother, and a disliked brother for heirs, Aegon will have an easy win for his throne. He only needs a queen to rule by his side with a powerful family to further reinforce his hold on the Iron Throne and provide him with heirs." "You make a very compelling argument Lord Stark, but why House Tyrell? You already have us bound to you with the betrothal of Willas and Sansa." Olenna said, causing Mace to become concerned that she just ruined the negotiation. "Because House Tyrell and the Reach are a loose end that needs to be tied up and your armies and the Redwyne fleet need to have clearly designated loyalties; ideally loyal to Aegon. Your daughter is quite the beauty and I hear that she's your protege too. Even I was considering approaching your son to discuss a betrothal before I actually fell in love." "Ah, yes. The serpents bastard daughter." Olenna said with disdain. "I see no reason not to betroth Margaery to his grace," Mace said, jumping in and looking quite afraid that his mother had ruined negotiations with her insults. "We would happily help you regain your throne, Your Grace," Mace said speaking directly to Aegon who just nodded. "Can't string together words boy?" Olenna asked mockingly, angering Aegon, Harry, and even her own son. "I can. But I hardly have experience with negotiating betrothals and unlike some when I'm ignorant about something I prefer to keep my mouth shut." Jon replied, insulting Olenna over her assumption, but only causing her to smirk. "How do we know you even know how to rule or win a throne?" Olenna asked, while Mace was mentally panicking over his ruined ambitions. "A good question," Harry said, but smiled confidently. "Aegon, how would you fix the current debt the Iron Throne has?" "Simple. If the Iron Throne lacks the wealth in the treasury to pay off the debt then I would compensate the Faith with land grants for more septs for debt reduction. I would compensate the Great Houses by letting them keep a portion of their taxes for themselves instead delivering it to us and it then being used to fund an incompetent government and Royal House. I could also trade Royal favor for wealth in the form of legitimization for money which would then go into the treasury or be used to pay off debt." Aegon replied, putting Olenna in her place somewhat. "The Iron Throne will be easily won due to our current strategies that will break the Royal fleet and leave the Baratheon-Lannister loyalists awaiting their deaths." "Sounds awfully vague," Olenna said skeptically. "Well, you haven't exactly given us a reason to trust you with anything more. Have you?" Aegon returned. "Just enough to ruin House Stark and end your ambition to return House Targaryen to power," Olenna said snidely, but Harry and Aegon merely smirked like they knew something she didn't. The room was magically soundproofed and Harry was ready to remove the memories of the three of them at a moments notice. The Tyrell's seemed to realize that they weren't as in control or safe as they thought after seeing those smirks. "You seem to want assurances that your family will be safe and we can offer those," Harry said, opening a portal. "You three need only step through the portal to see one of Aegon's secret weapons. We will also promise you safe passage, of course." The three Tyrell's were intrigued by the casual display of magic and rose to enter the portal with Aegon and Harry. "You have actual dragons," was the first thing Willas said, while his father and grandmother were shocked into silence at the sight of them. "Yes. This is why Aegon will win. He has numbers in his favor in terms of men, a massive northern fleet backing him, and dragons to break sieges with. Is this assurance enough?" Harry asked, and none of them thought to ask if any of these dragons were his before agreeing. In short order Margaery Tyrell was promised to wed Aegon Targaryen, seventh of his name, once he publically revealed himself. Phase three of Harry's grand plan was complete. An alliance was built to take the Iron Throne and achieve Harry's other objectives....